Hatch frame construction for car roofs



Nov. 30, 1937. D. w. HAWKSWORTH HATCH FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR CAR ROOFS Filed Feb. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR DAVID w. HAWKSWORTH ,054 WM ATTORNEYS 7r BY NOV. 30, 1937. w w swo l- 2,100,903

HATCH FRAME CONS TRUCTION FOR CAR ROOFS Filed Feb. 3, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11V VENTOR DAVID W. HAWKSWORTH 70W A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES HATCH FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR CAR ROOFS' David W. Hawksworth,

Birmingham, Mich., as-

signor to Chicago-Hutchins Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application February 3, 1936, SerialNc. 62,199

6 Claims.

The invention relates to car roofs provided with hatch openings thereinand has for its object the obtaining of an improved construction of hatch with more particular reference to the frame thereof.

In the present state of theart, certain cars and particularly refrigerator cars are provided with hatch openings in the roof through which the ice or refrigerating medium is introduced. The hatch opening is protected by a frame which forms a tapering liner therefor receiving the closure plug and which at its upper end must form a weatherproof joint with the roofing sheet. It is necessary that this frame should be securely fastened as otherwise the jolting of the car may displace the same, thereby destroying the seal and otherwise damaging the construction. Also, it is desirable to have a construction which can be easily assembled with the car roof. My invention, therefore, consists in an improved construction for fulfilling these conditions, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car roof having my improved construction of hatch therein;

Figure 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hatch frame detached;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the roofing sheet having the hatch opening therein;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6--6 of Figure 2.

Refrigerator cars are usually provided with an outer roof and an inner ceiling between which members is arranged heat insulating material. The hatch opening extends through both the roof and the ceiling and, as above stated, is provided with a liner frame. As specifically shown, A is the outer roof, B the ceiling and C the insulating material. D is the hatch opening which is between transversely extending members E and E forming a portion of the ceiling and roof frame. F and F are longitudinally extending members which form the other sides of the hatch opening and the upper faces of which conform to the pitch of the roof. Supported upon the members E, E, F, F is an annular frame G preferably of wood and which extends upward above the level of the roof A.

The roofing sheet A which surrounds the hatch opening is formed with a corresponding aperture therein surrounding which is an upwardly pressed annular portion H for fitting over the frame G. This portion H includes an obliquely inclined portion H, a substantially vertical portion H and a laterally extending portion H which rests upon the top of the frame G. I is a hatch frame preferably formed of separate pressed sheet 'metal side portions welded to each other at the corners. This frame includes tapering side walls I which fit against correspondingly tapered portions of the frame G and members E, E, F, F, also, the outwardly extendin flange portion I extending above the portion H of the roofing sheet and the down-turned flange 1 which overlaps the portion H of the roofing sheet To hold this frame in position so that it cannot be displaced by the jolting of the car, it is provided with securing brackets J which are attached thereto preferably by welding. These brackets have a portion'J fitting against the portion I of the frame, a flange J 2 fittingbeneath the portion I and the outwardly extending lower flange J which is bifurcated 'to receive a securing bolt K. There are preferably four of the brackets-J secured on opposite sides of the frame and the bolts K extend downward through apertures in the members E and E, as shown in Figure 3. The upper head K of each bolt is secured fro-m turning by a locking member L which is also preferably welded to the member J. This locking member has a portion L extending outward spaced from the flange J and at itsouter end a portion L which can be turned down to lock the head from disengagement.

With the construction as thus far described, after the roofing sheet A is placed in position with the struck-out portion H engaging the frame G the hatch frame I is inserted in the hatch opening. Before doing this, the bolts K are engaged with the brackets J and the heads K of thesebolts are locked by bending down the outer portion L of the locking member L. The bolts are then threaded through the bores in the members E and E and the frame I lowered over the frame G. To provide clearance for the brackets J the frameG has cut-out portions G and the portion H of the roofing sheet A is also cut out at H The frame is then clamped down by nuts K engaging threaded ends of the bolts K thereby drawing the portion I tightly against the portion H of the sheet and the frame G thereunder. down-turned flange'I also fits against the portion H to form a completely weatherproofed joint.

The hatch is provided with the usual closure J plug M and hatch cover N. These are preferably The provided with hinges O and P which are pivotally attached to a bracket Q on angle bars R which extend transversely of the roof and are suitably anchored thereto. The specific construction of these members is not, however, a part of the present invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a car roof having a hatch opening,there in, a roofing sheet provided with an upwardly extending continuous annular flange surrounding said opening, a hatch frame having a depending portion within said opening and an outwardly extending flange overlapping said annular flange, and securing means for said hatch frame outside of said depending portion passing downward through said roof and secured on the inner side thereof.

2. In a car roof having a hatch opening therein, a roofing sheet provided with an upwardly extending continuous annular flange surrounding said opening, a hatch frame having a depending portion within said opening and an outwardly ex tending flange overlapping said annular flange, and securing means for said frame comprising bolts attached thereto outside of said depending portion and inside of said annular flange, said bolts passing downward through the roof and fastened on the inside thereof.

3. In a car roof having a frame and a hatch opening extending through said frame, an annular frame surrounding said hatch opening and extending upward above the plane of the roof, a roofing sheet supported on said roof frame and having an upwardly extending annular flange surrounding and supported upon said annular frame, a hatch frame having a depending por tion seated within the hatch opening in said frame and an outwardly extending flange terminating in a depending flange engaging the annular flange of said roofing sheet, and securing means for said hatch frame comprising bolts attached thereto outside of said depending portion and inside said annular flange, said annular frame being cut away to provide clearance for said bolts and said roof frame being apertured for the passage. of said bolts therethrough to permit of securing the same inside said frame.

4. In a car roof, the combination with a roof frame having longitudinally and latitudinally extending members surroundinga hatch opening, of a roofing sheet supported on said frame and having an upwardly extending annular flange surrounding said hatch opening and terminating in an inwardly extending horizontal flange, an annular frame on said roof frame surrounding said hatch opening and supporting said inwardly extending horizontal flange, said annular frame being partly cut away in portions thereof, a hatch frame formed of pressed sheet metal having a depending portion for seating within said hatch opening against said longitudinal and latitudinal members and also provided with an outwardly extending flange terminating in a depending flange and embracing the inwardly extending horizontal flange of said roofing sheet, brackets secured to said hatch frame outside the depending portion thereof and located to engage the cut-away portions of said annular frame, bolts secured to said brackets and depending therefrom passing through bores in said members surrounding said hatch opening and nuts for engaging the threaded lower ends of said bolts whereby said hatch frame is rigidly clamped to said roof frame to form a weatherproof joint with the annular flange of said roofing sheet.

5. In a car roof having a frame provided with a hatch opening therein, of a roofing sheet supported on said frame and provided with an upwardly extending annular flange surrounding said hatch opening, a pressed sheet metal hatch frame having a depending portion engaging said hatch opening and a laterally extending portion engaging said annular flange, said frame having brackets welded thereto outside of said depending portion, and bolts having the heads thereof engaging said brackets, said bolts passing downwardthrough said roof frame and being secured on the inner side thereof. 7

6. In combination with a refrigerator car having a ceiling an-d'a roof, of a hatch frame positioned in the roof and having a portion bearing on the upper surface thereof, and means for applying a clamping pressure to the hatch frame at a point below the roof to press the bearing portion of said frame tightly against the roof to provide a water-tight joint therebetween.

DAVID W. HAWKSWORTH. 

